Living with chronic pain can take a toll not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. It’s estimated that more than 50 million adults in the United States live with chronic pain.
For patients who haven’t found relief with other approaches, spinal cord stimulation offers hope. This advanced therapy can reduce pain where other treatments have failed, especially in complex nerve-related conditions.
At Pain Management Specialists in Rockville and Frederick, Maryland, board-certified physicians Dr. Stuart Hough and Dr. Ramani Peruvemba lead a team focused on providing personalized, interventional pain care.
Our team combines medical precision with patient-centered treatment to deliver excellent results. Keep reading to take a deeper dive into the types of pain conditions that can benefit from spinal cord stimulation, and find out if it might be the right option for you.
A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is a small, implantable device that interrupts pain signals before they reach the brain. Through thin wires strategically placed near nerves, SCS delivers electrical impulses that patients control using a remote. The impulses are mild, and patients can adjust the intensity as needed.
The goal is to significantly reduce pain so that patients can function better and rely less on medication. Most patients who benefit from SCS have tried other treatments without adequate relief.
Patients with the following conditions may benefit from spinal cord stimulation:
This condition describes ongoing pain after one or more spinal surgeries. Scar tissue, nerve damage, or structural issues can leave patients worse off after surgery. SCS can reduce pain without further invasive procedures.
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare but severe nerve disorder that causes burning pain, swelling, and skin changes, usually in an arm or leg. It’s most often associated with an injury or surgery, where instead of healing as expected, pain and often swelling become persistent.
Spinal cord stimulation has proven especially effective for CRPS, providing relief when few other options work.
This condition causes burning, tingling, or stabbing pain due to damaged peripheral nerves. When caused by diabetes or injury, neuropathy can become debilitating. SCS calms overactive nerves to provide relief.
When conservative treatments fail to relieve back pain, and imaging doesn’t reveal a clear cause, SCS can offer relief by targeting nerve pain that’s hard to pinpoint.
Some people develop chronic pain after operations like hernia repair, mastectomy, or joint replacement. SCS can help reduce that lingering nerve pain and improve day-to-day function.
If you’ve exhausted treatment approaches such as physical therapy, medications, injections, or even surgery, and you're still in pain, spinal cord stimulation might be worth exploring. Pain Management Specialists conduct thorough evaluations to determine if you’re a good candidate.
A trial period with a temporary device is key to the evaluation process. The trial device lets you see how well it works before committing to full implantation.
Pain doesn’t have to defeat you. If you’re dealing with persistent pain, despite trying other pain management approaches, contact us at the Pain Management Specialists today. Our team is here to answer your questions and help you find the right solution.
